Even in the Night
by AndreannaMaree
Summary: What happenes when Raven hallucinates and starts to loose control of her powers? Can Robin decipher what's going on in time to save her? Rated T just for safety...RaeRob...Story gets better later on...Currently Rewriting...
1. Chapter 1: Confusion

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Teen Titans. However, I don't think I needed to tell u that

Okay, under suggestion of Evanlicious, I'm rewriting the chapters to include more character development and all that stuff, so bear with me, this might take a while…

Even in the Night

CHAPTER 1: Confusion

"NOOOOOO!" Robin sat bolt upright, awoken from a light sleep. Horrific images chased through his mind without warning. The fearless leader of the Teen Titans clutched his head in anguish and tears coursed unnoticed down his cheeks. Robin fought the tidal wave of emotions that threatened to drown him.

"Stop it," his self-conscious berated him for his momentary lapse into mental weakness. Robin gritted to the silence. "I'm trying!"

The images slowed and gradually dispersed when Robin began to close off his mind. Years of relentless training with the Dark Knight of Gotham hadn't left the Boy Wonder with simply a strong physique. Robin's mind was cryptic and guarded enough to give any trespassing telepath a migraine for a week.

When his mind was finally clear, the teen lay for a moment and shivered fitfully. That was definitely one of the worst things he had ever experienced. The only other thing that was worse had occurred when he performed in the circus with his parents. One night during a performance on the tight rope, suspended high above the ring, the accident happened. Robin tried to save his parents, but he didn't reach them in time; they fell to their deaths right before his eyes.

Once his heart rate and breathing slowed to normal, Robin, as always began to search for an answer. _Where did that come from,_ he thought. Robin pondered this question before he recalled his bond with Raven, the gothic/ sorceress member of the Titans. Raven had once asked entrance into his mind, to see through his eyes in order to prove to him for the last time that their enemy was gone, and Robin was perfectly safe.

It ended up the man was very real. Slade had slowly beaten the life out of Robin until they realized that Slade was somehow making his X-apprentice believe he was fighting him when he was in fact, alone. But Robin's mind had done the damage for Slade.

Robin glared hatred at the wall as he pictured Slade. The most persistent enemy of the Titans, he was a clever andsly adversary. He was calculating and worst of all patient. Maybe the reason Robin hated him so much was because Slade was right; they _were _a lot alike. However, not in all ways. Slade worked to benefit only himself, and if Innocents got involved, all the better. Robin fought to protect those innocent citizens from those who would harm them in cold blood. And Slade was evil, he manipulated anything and everything he could to help himself.

Robin sighed and ran a gloved hand through ebony hair. _I've got to stop doing that; rehashing past horrors. Slade will never show his face again, _he reminded himself with a bitter smile.

Raven. He was forever in her debt for doing the one thing no one had been able to do: understand him. Ever since she in a word, saved him from himself, he never once severed the connection (he wondered if he even could). But he couldn't wander into Raven's mind nor did he ever feel anything escape her mind as she had his. Now, he wondered and it suddenly made perfect sense.

Furious at himself for taking so long to realize the truth, Robin threw himself from the bed and hurtled across the room. Sliding the heavy metal door open, Robin skidded through the opening. At full speed, he ran straight into a sleepy Starfire. "Good night, Robin, what was that very loud noise?" Robin kept running. "I think it was Raven. Come on, Star!" Finally reaching their destination, they gasped in unison. There was no door! Shards of metal lay everywhere in the hallway. Raven was backed up against the furthest wall of her room, a black aura surrounding her crouching figure. Her wide eyes glowed luminescent white and her teeth clenched tightly, sweat beaded on her pale forehead. Overcoming the first initial shock, Robin stepped forward somewhat hesitantly. "Raven? Are you…?"

Raven blinked. She stared at Robin for a few minutes before stuttering, "Robin? Starfire?" The dark sorceress seemed to snap out of her trance, but then jumped up and searched the room with narrowed eyes. Finding nothing, she sat down heavily on her messed bed, a slight look of confusion on her pale countenance as she stared off into space. "I don't understand."

"Understand what?" Beast Boy and Cyborg stood in the once doorway. "Nothing. It was nothing but a dream." Starfire winced. "Dreams do not simply make things blow up, friend Raven."

Raven sighed and closed her eyes, willing them all to go away. She could not understand what had just happened…she could have sworn that…

A gloved hand taking hers interrupted her thoughts. The masked teen's face creased with worry. "Raven, what's going on?"

The sorceress yanked her hand away from Robin as if she had been burned. "N-nothing. I told you, it was a dream. I just need to meditate. All of you: Get out!" Changing into her astral "raven" form, the dark Titan phased through the ceiling and onto the roof. Folding her legs, she levitated close to the edge. On any other night, she would have admired the tranquil sea, cloudless skies, and calming breeze before levitating, but tonight she went straight to meditation. She sensed that it was about to rain. The temperature dropped noticeably and the waves grew choppy as the wind picked up marginally.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." Raven took several steadying breaths and chanted her mantra as she began to meditate. _Why would I dream of something so awful? For one thing, he is dead. Terra killed him. So why would I dream about someone who's dead being alive? 'Him'_ of course, was Slade. The most hated enemy of the Titans, Slade had attempted to blackmail Robin into being his apprentice by threatening the other Titan's lives. They had many nasty run-ins after that. Robin had been obsessed with the sly criminal, hunting him with every breath. He had hunted Slade so long, he wasn't quite used to him being gone, but he was… for good…right? Emotions flooded her senses as she replayed the dream in her head.

It was a night like any other. Raven was meditating on the roof as she always did before drifting off to sleep. It had been about two hours, so she was just finishing. She couldn't quite shake the feeling of exhaustion. _It's not that late, why do I feel tired, _she thought with curiosity. Pushing it from her mind, she opened her eyes and gasped. Across the shadowed, choppy water of the sea Jump City was burning! To her dismay, she saw that most of the buildings had already been reduced to piles of rubbish. Flames licked up the standing buildings like hungry beasts, devouring the buildings swiftly. Worst of all, perhaps, was the silence. No screams, no cries for help, even the tumbling buildings fell silently in submission.

Raven turned to hurry inside and question the team but she stopped dead in her tracks. Four bodies lay crumpled and strewed around her. She walked forward slowly, hyperventilating. Raven bent down and examined the body closest to her. Her stomach churned and for one of the first times, tears slid silently down her face.

"Starfire!"

The beautiful alien was hardly recognizable. Blood covered virtually her whole body and she looked to have multiple broken bones. Someone had mercilessly slammed her face into a hard surface repeatedly because the beauty was gone…only blood remained. "No!" Anger welled up inside her. Someone would pay, and pay dearly. Raven checked her pulse and shock flew through her. Starfire was…dead?

"This can't be real…" Raven's legs shook as she checked the rest of the Titans. All horribly mutilated. All dead. Her mind was reeling. How could this have happened without her knowing? For Pete's sake, she was sitting _right there!_ How had the other Titans died while she remained unscathed?

Weak coughing interrupted the girl as she leaned over the body of Beast Boy, whom could only be distinguished as so by the matted green hair and skin. "Robin!" The empath rushed to his side. "Robin, can you hear me?"

The leader's eyes fluttered open. "R-Raven?" She trembled with relief. He was alive! Confusion clouded her face when Robin instinctively flinched as the empath laid his head in her lap. She was startled by the fear emanating from his aura in waves. Only pausing for a moment, she held her hands over his chest to heal him, but found she could not. Sick with grief, Raven bowed her head.

His wounds were too numerous and far too great to receive into her own body. His rib cage was shattered and he panted painfully for his dying breaths.

"H-he came for you…tried to stop…too powerful…"

"What? Who came for me? Who did this to you?"

"You did."

Meow-----meow-----meow-----meow-----meow-----meow-----meow-----meow-----meow

Whoohoo! Chapter 1 (REWRITE) is up…sorry if it seemed a little predictable, but oh well I just wanted to get it done. Plz review: I am stupid and insecure…also I have a baseball bat. Consider that. You can flame me, just do it low key…constructive criticism is very much appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2: Reality Check

"You did."

A cold voice sneered from behind her. Raven wheeled around, coming face to face with none other than Slade.

"Slade! You're dead." She hissed through clenched teeth.

"Obviously not quite," he held up a gloved hand for examination. "I found a…benefactor and as you can see, I am very much alive."

And here he stood; a walking dead man somehow resurrected from consuming fire to perfect health. His mask reflected the burning city as he faced Raven. There was not a single scratch on his armored body. He stood confidently mocking Raven's fury.

"Why did you kill them?" she demanded, revenge hot in her eyes. Her hands glowed with black energy and the air seemed to crackle around the sorceress.

Slade smirked evilly. "Oh, my dear, is that what you think I did? I did nothing of the sort. I could _never_ harm your little…friends…_You_ killed them!"

Raven's eyes widened with horror and shock. "How dare you? I would never-I couldn't…this is your fault, you did this!"

Slade shook his head sadly. "So selfish."

"What?" Raven asked, but she knew the answer. It was on her mind constantly whenever she was around the Titans, it preyed off her doubt and feasted on her fears.

"It's a pity, really. You knew all along that you were destined to destroy everything you cared about, yet you allowed them in, just so you could pretend to be wanted for a short amount of time. Now they are dead because of you, and you knew all along that it would happen. Maybe if you had simply accepted your fate instead of fighting, they may still be alive. But you only thought of yourself. Understand, sweet Raven, that they were not really your friends; they were your watchers. It's like that old saying, keep your friends close and keep your enemies closer. They feigned friendship, they put up with you, simply because they feared if they turned their backs on you as they longed to, then you would become that which you resented. Robin hated you most of all, he never cared for you… He _feared _you."

"SHUT UP! Why should I believe you, you're not even real!"

Slade grabbed Raven's wrist, twisting it sharply. She cried out as searing pain flew up her arm. "Oh, I'm real, Raven. And so is this dream… or at least it will be soon enough. This is what you will do to the world and your so called FRIENDS!"

To emphasize his point, Slade flipped Raven over his head and threw her off the roof of the tower. She fell for what seemed like eternity before she snapped out of her shock and flew upwards. When she landed heavily, she stumbled. Slade laughed in the face of her physical and emotional weakness.

"Look around you, Raven. Soak it in. This is your destiny, your future. This is all and everything you will achieve! Isn't it magnificent? And as long as they remain your friends, they die with everything else." Slade gestured meaningfully toward the bodies scattered on the roof with something akin to victory glinting in his eyes.

"No."

Slade examined her with amusement. "What?"

Four gleaming red eyes appeared on Raven's ashen face. "NOOOOOO!"

She woke in her room. Sweat poured from her body as she untangled herself from the violet sheets. She gasped for breath as her chest heaved in adrenaline. It had been nothing but a dream. The dark teen closed her eyes, silently willing the tears of relief to disperse.

"Sleeping problems?" The empath's amethyst eyes flew open and she found herself staring into an all too familiar mask. Her heart raced and she snarled with hatred.

"SLADE!"

"Of course," he stated matter-of-factly. The criminal smiled at Raven almost fondly.

"You're not real!"

Slade sighed. "This is growing tiresome. If you won't trust your own eyes, here's more proof." A red "S" appeared on both of Raven's palms. The mark of Scath. Horrified, she growled and clenched her fists. Summing up all of the power she could muster, Raven blasted Slade backwards. The door couldn't withstand the combined impact of Raven's black energy plus the man's weight and with a shuttering howl, shattered to pieces.

The half-demoness crawled to the farthest wall and trembled, fighting a breakdown. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest like a wild thing trying to break free of its cage. Any minute it might explode through her chest, leaving her body broken and uninhabited. Her eyes glowed white as they crackled with black energy. She couldn't tell what had been real and what she had dreamed. The room swam around her as images of her friends' deaths flashed before her; ending with her Father gloating over her and laughing insanely. Reality became indefinable as she was lost in the ensuing pain.

Suddenly Robin stepped hesitantly into her line of vision.

"Raven? Are you…?" The voice brought her back to reality. She was startled to see Robin, and then Starfire. Raven fought the instinct to run forward and embrace her leader and the worried alien standing in her room. She had just witnessed their deaths. And now here they were in front of her, large as life and perfectly healthy. She couldn't help but stare.

Then she remembered Slade. The empath searched the room for the man, but found nothing. Surely, he could not have recovered quickly enough after an attack like that, to run away. And even if he had, Robin and Starfire would have seen him and pursued him. But then where was he? Raven admitted to herself that she was…afraid. No, not afraid, terrified. _What is happening to me?_

_Yay! Dream has been explained. In better detail. Sorry it took me so long to update, I'm incredibly lazy. If you people love me, then you'll review…because you already took the time to read this, you might as well give your opinion, right? Please? With a cherry? REVIEW!_


	3. Chapter 3: Explanations

Disclaimer: Own Teen Titans, don't…yada yada yada..we all know the drill

Even In The Night

Chapter 3

Raven allowed herself to fall to the roof. "I would never do that. Never! And Slade is gone forever. I must have imagined it. That's the only plausible explanation! But the marks…they were real, weren't they? None of this makes any sense." Her mind was in chaos.

The sorceress had mastered entering Nevermore without the aid of her mirror. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos…"

Upon entrance to Nevermore, Raven was stunned. Happy was sobbing and Love was trying to comfort her. Intelligence was found holding her head and staring glassy eyed at nothing in particular. Courage was trying to get everyone to calm down and Timid just stood there looking lost. Raven walked over to Joy.

"What's going on?" Between sobs, Joy explained.

"We can't handle this! W-we just saw our f-f-friends dead, there is no way we can hold ourselves back! There is nothing to be happy about, and it's no use. You should just leave!"

Raven shook her head impatiently. "It was only a dream. You guys should know that!" Courage stepped forward. "Raven, if you hadn't been confused about that statement, you wouldn't have come to consult us. What you saw terrified all of us…even me," she whispered.

Raven was taken aback for the hundredth time that day. Courage was not supposed to be afraid…of anything! Now here she was telling her that she had been scared, terrified even! The dream version of Raven walked over to where Intelligence sat in the fetal position.

"Surely _you _can make at least a little sense of what's going on?" She received silence. "Alright, all of you come here. Now listen to me: what I dreamed was simply that. A dream. It didn't really happen. If Trigon comes we'll be ready. And the other Titans know everything. They'll help me make sure Rage will never get out! I'm sorry for the ordeal I've put you all through. I'm simply overstressed."

The emotions started to nod in agreement, but then-

"It wasn't a dream, Raven. It was a vision." Raven stared open-mouthed at Intelligence. "W-what?"

"It was a vision, and Slade is  back. And he's coming after _you._"

Raven stared at her emotion's downcast faces and fled her mind. This was all wrong. The dark empathy sighed as the heavens cracked and rain poured down. The sea bit angrily at the Tower, making loud crashes. A foot fall sounded behind her and Raven turned to see who it was. But she was completely alone. Taking a deep breath, Raven made her way back into the tower.

In the main room, no one felt like sleeping. It was only about three hours till they had to get up again, so what was the use?

Cyborg and Beast Boy played a racing game on the Game Station, but both were loosing badly. Starfire bustled around the kitchen while she cooked something she called "Pudding of Confusion."

Robin of course, was thinking. (A/N: BIG surprise there, huh?) _Why did Raven lie to us? What is she hiding? _Robin had known instantly that she was not telling them the whole truth. As upset as she had been, he wasn't about to push it then. But when the time was right he would question her.

Raven herself posed as an unspoken challenge to the Leader's ego. She was the only mystery the Boy Wonder had never been able to solve. She showed emotion sometimes, but on those rare occasions she covered it up with sarcasm or retreated to her room. Almost as if she was afraid that contact with another human would cause her to loose control.

_Like she did tonight, _he thought. Why had she looked at him so strangely? She looked relieved to see him, yet…surprised? Then there was the state they found her in. Raven had nightmares frequently, but they never seemed to phase here.

_Of course, for all I know, she could be terrified each time; just maybe this was the last straw, or worse then the others. She doesn't talk to me, so how can I know what she is truly feeling? _Robin sighed aloud. If only she would let him understand her.

At that moment, the object of his thoughts glided silently into the room. She quietly put the kettle onto boil and took out a packet of herbal tea. Hoping to go unnoticed in the kitchen, the Goth accidentally bumped right into a busy alien.

"Greetings, friend! Are you feeling much better? We were most worried. Do you wish to partake in the eating of the Pudding of Confusion with me?"

Horror spread across Raven's face but luckily her hood was drawn. "Uh…no, thanks. I'll just have some herbal tea. And for the last time, I am Fine!"

Raven sighed. Now that her presence was known, there was no point in trying to quietly slip away or stand in the shadows. Even though she didn't want to admit it, she didn't want to be alone right now.

The only light in the main room came from the huge TV and the kitchen light. Besides that, the spacious room was dark and slightly eerie. The Titans knew better than to have too much electricity on during a storm…they were in a huge T in the middle of an island, after all.

"Hey, Rae. Nice weather, huh?" BB grinned at Raven's saturated cloak hanging limply about her shoulders. She rolled her eyes as the green boy transformed into a duck and quacked at her. A giggle erupted from Starfire, who was now sitting at the kitchen table enjoying her…what did she call it again? Oh yeah…food.

Beast Boy, taking the giggle as encouragement, turned into a fish and flopped towards Raven, who only stared at him in disgust. Seeing his efforts being wasted, the changeling flopped over to Starfire, who squealed as he landed in her lap.

"Friend Beast Boy, you are most slippery!"

Just then a flash of lightning illuminated the room and Robin inspected Raven, who had come to sit stiffly at the other end of the couch in silence. He was surprised to find she had taken down her hood and her face was exposed. Her eyes narrowed and her entire body was tense, as if preparing for an attack, even though her face remained emotionless.

"Raven, what is it?" The titan whispered so as not to attract the attention of the other laughing teens. (Cyborg had abandoned his one player game and gone to the kitchen table to join Starfire and Beast Boy.)

"Slade."

Robin jumped at the name and turned to face his dark companion. He studied her intensely. Raven could feel his searching eyes boring into hers even though there wasn't much light in the room. The empath stood and faced the rain-sleeked windows.

"You don't believe me, Robin," she stated.

"It's not that, Raven. It's just…well, Slade's dead. There's no way he survived his encounter with Terra, she finished him off!" Robin's confidence grew as his heartbeat slowed to it's normal rate. "And besides, even if he was alive, we're on an island and Slade can't fly. How could he be hovering outside the window?"

Raven knew what he said made sense, but she also knew what she had seen.

"Robin, I know it doesn't make sense, but that's what I saw! I don't know how, but he was there. You know I would never joke about anything like that."

_You don't joke period, _he thought. "I know, Rae. Are you sure you weren't just seeing a trick of the storm? It's entirely possible that –"

"Don't you think I would think of that? I already considered that earlier." Raven breathed sharply. Well, that had been a mistake. She carried on quickly, hoping her leader hadn't picked up on her slip up.

"I'm really tired. I think I should be fine now, I'm going to sleep. I'll see you in the morning, good night!" She started to rise to leave, but Robin grabbed her hand and gently but firmly pulled her back down.

"Raven, what do you mean, earlier? Is that what really happened?"

The female Titan had the look of a deer caught in headlights. She simply stared before answering. "Sort of," she said vaguely. "I don't really know what's happening to me, Robin. I-I feel like I'm stuck in a nightmare, but I'm not asleep!" Raven closed her eyes almost as if it pained her to explain herself. "And I can't wake," she whispered almost to herself.

Robin's mouth opened, but he quickly clamped it shut. There was no reply for that. So he did the only thing he could think to do. Reaching across the couch, Robin pulled Raven into a comforting hug.

Yeah, I know a hug doesn't seem like that big a deal, but this IS Raven, after all peeps. Sorry, this chap was a bit long, but owell. Review! 

Oh and oodles of love and thanks to evilsangle, KhmerGurl113, and bloodystars357 !


	4. Hmmm

Hey everybody! 

I haven't even thought about this story for a really long time...I just got a review for it and it reminded me that I kind of erased this one from my brain.  
I'm not entirely sure what direction I should go with this, or if I should just scrap it all together. I have no idea what the plot should be now that I've done the nightmare scene. Right now I've been concentrating on Rebel Heart (my other story) but I'm sure I could probably do both at the same time.

So guys, let me know what you think. I would appreciate ideas if anyone is willing to share them (I'll give credit to you). And basically just a general concensus would be nice on what everyone thinks I should do.

Thanks!

AndreannaMaree :)


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